>> look at that. beautiful picture of the moon this morning on what appears to be mostly clear skies this wednesday february 6th. beautiful. good morning. >> would that be a crescent moon? >> good morning i'm tony perkins. >> and i'm allison seymour. two quick school delay s to pass along to you. garret county, maryland will open two hours late. and mountain ridge district. >> let's find out why and what we can expect in our weather here today. tucker barnes is outside. we can't keep you in any more. >> good morning. >> after yesterday i run outside whenever i get a chance. any opportunity to let my toes freeze. hey, guys. that was a new moon on february 10th. we're going to lose it here pretty soon. nice touch of the day here. it is clear and cold. temperatures falling back into the 20s and 30s.

after a cloudy couple days, we'll see more sunshine today than what we've got most of the week. 35 in washington. dulles 30 degrees. bwi marhsall 33. looking at the satellite radar, clouds overnight. sprinkle or flurry for parts of the area. clearing out the last few hours. and i can tell you i see blue sky and we'll get a nice sunrise in about a half hour's time. much more sunshine than yesterday. partly sunny day with high temperatures expected to be in the mid 40s. all right. lots of waeth her to talk about coming up. we have storm system that could bring us a wintery mix. let's do traffic and find out what's happening on the roadways. >> we're anticipating what friday morning could bring for us. while you have the next couple days should be clear out there. fill up with plenty of

wiper fluid. these are live pictures from the crew in sky fox. this is where we had problems earlier with the vre trains out of fredericksburg. we had problems earlier because a problem with the track and a disabled train. we have a lot of people still standing out there on that platform at the brooks station. an additional 20 minute delay. don't forget metro will honor your tickets this morning from vre. northbound on the baltimore washington parkway, crash before the beltway. police and fire activity. 55th street south of burroughs. a lot of activity there as well. we'll show you what else we have out here on the roads. 395 remains slow before the beltway up shoreds sherlington. west of new hampshire avenue around towards 270. that's a check of your fox

5 on time traffic. >> thank you, julie. first at 7:00, officers under attack open fire on a suspect. this happened late last night along 13th street. dc police tell us two officers responded to a domestic violence call when they say a man attacked one of them with a knife. two puncture wounds to the back but expected to be okay. another officer shot the suspect in the head. the suspect is in serious condition. he faces burglary and assault charges. >> another news alert for you now. this time from the south pacific. officials on the solomon islands say many people are expected to be dead. tsunami warnings were issued. this video shows people fleeing for higher grounds. those

alerts have since been canceled. >> new this morning, the boy scouts policy banning gay members and leaders could face a vote today. the organizations executive board will meet behind closed doors to discuss the issue. the group announced last week it will allow individual troops to decide whether to allow gay members. the pentagon is also taking steps to be more inclusive of gays. defense secretary will extend some benefits to same sex partners of military members. comes more than a year after the pentagon lifted the ban on gays serving in the military. >> president obama will try to sell democrats on his plans for immigration, gun control and the economy during a closed door meeting today. this happened in annapolis. the president's ambitious second term agenda relies on support from law makers. and while the president

heads to maryland. >> billions of dollars will take effect next month. without one, the district could be hit hard. melanie alnwick is live with the latest details. >> reporter: tony and allison, if you feel like we've been here before, that's because we have. a very long and frustrating game of kick the can here. seems like over and over again. these cuts were supposed to kick in january 1st. back in 2011 and 2012, congress could not agree on a broader package. that was an exchange for republicans agreeing to raise the debt ceiling. and january 1st, the fiscal cliff deal, decided to push it off for 60 days and now here we are. under the terms of the earlier budget deals, now

must find $85 billion somewhere by march 1st otherwise pentagon spending will shrink. and medicare will take a 2% reduction. the president and democrats prefer an option that raises more money by closing tax loopholes. republicans want to stick with spending cuts saying they've already agreed to tax hikes. 448,000 jobs in dc, maryland and virginia could be affected. concerned about the impact on our economy. >> sequestration will hurt not only the defense side but the nondefense side. my committee funds the fbi. there will probably be furloughs at the fbi and the national cancer institute, nih. defense and nondefense. >> that hurts the broader economy. people are concerned about their jobs and don't know

the impact on their bank accounts. that holds them from spending on movies and restaurants and theaters. thinks he has time to buy a little bit more of a deal. let republicans and democrats work it out. but some republicans say they've had enough. they think the spending cuts are the only way to achieve true deficit reduction. back to you. >> all right, melanie. thank you very much. president obama's pick to head the cia. a justice department memo leaked yesterday outlined the justification for killing american citizens without a trial if they are working with al-qaida. learning about a secret u.s. drone base first reported by the new york times. did not object to water boarding al-qaida terrorists

though now he opposes that technique. >> fbi is combing over -- investigators have revealed they found two explosive devices on the suspect's property. one was in the ventilation pipe authorities were using to communicate with that man. the other was inside the bunker. dykes was killed by swat agents as they engaged in a fire fight as they stormed the bunker and rescued the boy. >> the murder case heads back to court in dc. a judge will hold a hearing to decide if the media should have documents related to secret hearings. the meetings allegedly focused on an issue with trial witness. convicted of killing levy back in 2010. >> also today a possible plea hearing for a man accused of shooting a security guard at the

family research council this summer. floyd lee corkins is scheduled to appear. court papers show he and prosecutors were working on a plea deal. faces terrorism charges. officers say he had issues with the christian lobby politics. >> following some breaking news right now from south florida. take a look at these pictures. this is a box truck dangling off an overpass off i 95. we understand the vehicle is secured and not in danger of going over. one person was rescued and taken to the hospital. this is happening right now along i 95 in fort lauder dale, florida. >> a plea from the president. still ahead we're going to sit down for a look at whether

congress can solve the next round of spending cuts. >> why experts say they are living longer than parents before them. >> dave ross will join us live with more on huge crash that sidelined the american olympian. fox 5 morning news continues next. some folks didn't think thatt our coffee was their flavor,

it wasn't their cup. if you don't like that dark roast,

we've created a coffee for you. blonde is a beautiful, light roasted coffee. kind of mellow, sweet, a little citrusy. for me, personally, i love connecting with people, so blonde roast just gives me a whole nother reason to connect with more customers. ♪

after last night's caps fans might wish the lock out never ended. >> yeah really. dave ross joins us live with a look back and highlights from yesterday's superbowl celebration. all i saw was superbowl. >> get the superbowl back? >> i wish. >> it's so hard to put your finger on it.

the efforts there from the guys. i like adam. >> is anybody playing good hockey after the lock out? is it just the caps? >> i think hockey has suffered. the quality of play just because they haven't been out there. they didn't have a training camp to get ready. you are going to see guys that are not ready to play. we need alex. for this team they got to get that guy back on track. and last night he was kind of mia. the efforts there but we're not seeing the production. and when you get miscommunication like this, you give up cheap goals. caps are down 2-0. fighting from behind a lot. they lost again last night. 3-2. games are close. not like the caps are getting blown out.

so no matter who is in the net, that is not good. we're talking about the superbowl champions. tucker barnes was up there yesterday. what a sight it was. literally tens of thousands of fans yesterday. 80,000 plus. had to turn people away. a great turn out for the city. they did the city proud. you want to see every city do that. there's ray lewis doing the dance arguably for the last time. >> it won't be the last time. maybe not in that arena. he ain't going to let that go. >> how as a motivational speaker. >> that will get you fired up. lindsay von. this is tough to watch. down and out.

four time overall world champion and tore ligaments in her right knee. had to be out of that situation. tough to see. but that's why you forget just how dangerous some of these sports can be. >> skiing in particular. people don't think about it. it's a dangerous sport . >> the rest is history. she's gone for the year. >> when was that? >> she looked great. that was before. in happier times, if you will. >> thank you, sir. talk to you in a bit. mr. barns. >> yeah, you ski long enough, eventually you are going to fall. >> true athlete for sure. >> weather wise we're looking fine. no snow around here to ski on. temperatures in the mid 40s later this afternoon. starting off on the chilly side. 35 right now in washington. 27 in boston.

we'll do a spin around the country. most of the country fairly seasonable temperatures. we are warming up in texas. dallas is 60 degrees. 62 in tampa. warm air to our south and to our west. looking at satellite radar, we have the last in clipper systems. clouds overnight and sprinkle or flurry. and high pressure will build in for the day today. much more sunshine than yesterday. partly sunny conditions and highs in the mid 40s. that will be our next area of storminess. going to try to slide up the coast here late thursday and friday. and could bring parts of the region a wintery mix by early friday morning. we have to look out for that possibility. that's our next chance for winter weather. early friday morning should transition to rain. but things could be touch and go there. there's your accu weather 7 day and warmer

temperatures on the way. we'll take 50 and sunny by sunday afternoon. >> dry out too. thank you, sir. >> head over to julie wright for a look at our on time traffic. >> now i believe we have the crew in sky fox. live footage. started off this morning with a stalled train near the brooks nation which is where they happen to be here. and also had problems to do with the track. problems with the track, a cracked rail. repairs are on going and that's what we see here. trains are moving once again but an additional 20 minute delay for friends on the dre system. metro will honor your ticket. check now with the wazers. no issues to report. lanes are open if you are traveling along the 495. no issues reported. delays there. let's pop up the maps for you. continue to work your

way headed northbound 295. find yourself in a back up. slowing from 95 college park over to silver spring. and those traveling on northbound 295. 14 minute drive leaving the naval research lab. for those eastbound along 66. here's what i know. down to 26 miles an hour through manassas. doesn't improve from fair oaks to 123 and 17 miles an hour leaving vienna to the beltway. that's a check of your fox 5 on time traffic. >> thank you very much. making headlines around the region, the state of the district, mayor vincent gray claimed the city a success. rattling off a list of accomplishments that included a drop in unemployment. the creation of tens of thousands of jobs. on going development and a drop in crime. looking ahead, the mayor says he plans to spend $100 million to create 10,000 new affordable housing units.

and in virginia, the future of a major transportation over haul remains unclear. yesterday the state senate deadlocked on the $3 billion package that would get rid of the 17 cent gas tax and replace it with a sales tax hike. governor bob mcdonald backs the deal. >> 7:20 now on this wednesday morning. coming up next, bad news for baby boomers. >> and later the return of the alvin avery dance company. check in with holly morris live. 7:20. we'll be right back. [ woman ] ring. ring. progresso.

i just served my mother-in-law your chicken noodle soup but she loved it so much... i told her it was homemade. everyone tells a little white lie now and then. but now she wants my recipe [ clears his throat ] [ softly ] she's right behind me isn't she? [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. of green giant vegetables it's easy to eat like a giant... ♪ and feel like a green giant. ♪ ho ho ho ♪ green giant

this is your shot. >> there can only be one american idol. topping our health watch, a warning to drivers. low calorie cocktails could make you more drunk. a new study found people who drank diet mix drinks had a higher concentration level than sugar drinks.

the stomach digestive process slows down for diet drinks much like it does for food allowing more time for the alcohol to be absorbed into the bloodstream. baby boomers are living longer than their parents but not necessarily healthy as their parents. adults born between 1945 and 1964 are more likely to suffer from obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol hchlt and also more likely to drink and less likely to exercise. the good news, baby boomers smoke less and suffer fewer heart attacks than their parents did. pregnant women who live in areas with significant high air pollution have a higher risk of having babies with low birthrate. the higher the exposure the lower birthrate. lower birthrate babies have a higher risk of problems as well as dealt. >> all right. thank you much. still ahead in our next half hour, the president's plan to stop sequestration for now.

we'll sit down with our team of political experts to see if it will work. thumbs down for inmate who gave the judge a raised middle finger. we'll show you what happened. and as we head to the break, a live look outside. not a bad start to the day. we'll get the latest traffic and tucker. did i say tucker? the latest weather and traffic from julie and tucker. 

caught on camera, another smash and grab robbery. this time at colonial juliers -- jewelers. this happened yesterday. police are trying to figure out if there's any connection. they are trying to see if there's a connection between the two cases. >> also caught on camera, what happens when you disrespect a judge. this florida woman flipped the judge the bird and stormed away. the judge called her back and sentenced her for 30 days in jail. the teen was upset the judge doubled her bail from 5 to $10,000. not a good move. >> nope.

>> don't disrespect the judge. >> if you have authority. that's a problem. >> big lesson to learn. >> sunshine to start your day. should be a decent day. not going to be warm. not going to be memorable other than we'll get more sunshine than the last couple days. we'll take it. 30 in leonard town . 28 in salsbury. parts of the air dealing with fog. i think that will burn off quickly. 36 in frederick. our friends in the mountains in the mid 30s. 36 degrees and 28 in culpeper. it's a cool day. temperatures typical for where they should be for this time of year. highs mid 40s and more sunshine should feel better. we've been dealing with a series here. one after another for the past several days. and the last of the series rolled through last night. we're still dealing with

cloud cover early today. not going to be a perfectly sunny day. want you to focus down here towards dallas and houston, that's our next storm. slide through the south later this afternoon and roll up the coast by late thursday and early friday. and parked right about here, there will likely be enough cold air in the midatlantic region we'll see a wintery mix around here. and we could have potentially have travel issues by early friday morning. lots of sunshine today. and here comes that area of low pressure into thursday and friday. much of the day on friday should feature rain showers. early friday morning could be issues with that storm. partly sunny skies. breezy at times. winds north and west at 15. and cold tonight with overnight lows below freezing.

accu weather 7 day friday on that wintery mix. and notice the warmer temperatures. sunday 50 with sunshine. and mid 50s around here monday/tuesday. if you've had enough of the early cold here going to warm it up by the end of the weekend. somebody's celebrating. let's get to traffic with julie wright. >> on the roads this morning, we've had problems with vre. suspended service out of fredericksburg, that's no longer the case. had problems with a broken rail. vre brook station here in stafford. crews continue to work on this rail. we're told trains are able to get by. metro will honor your tickets this morning. thank you sky fox. let's show you what else is happening out here. traveling along the outer loop. the pace slow moving from college park trying to get past colesville road. baltimore washington parkway traffic slows 197 to

powder mill. leaving duke street out towards sherlington. stalled vehicle out of the roadway. lanes are open on the inner loop. again, average speed westbound 495 now down to 16 miles an hour from college park. northbound on 295, still about a 14 minute drive from the naval research lab by way of the inbound 11th street bridge. that's a check of your fox 5 on time traffic. >> president obama wants congress to pass a short-term package spending cuts that could avert a severe economic crunch. for more on that topic, we turn to our team of political experts. jim, welcome back. good to see you . your partner peter is in morocco. must be nice. >> hopefully he won't get arrested. >> and just in case he does we

have rodell mollineau. and he's a political democrat strategist. welcome to the show. >> thank you. >> president obama heading up the road today to sort of meet with some senate democrats to talk about some of these issues. jim, i'm sure more liberal issues the president is trying to push. we're talking about gun control, immigration, the economy. how important is this backing to him right now as he moves forward? rodell let me start with you today. >> sure. one thing democrats need to do is to realize on a lot of these issues, the public on their side when it comes to immigration and certain kinds of gun control. sometimes democrats start on the defensive and work back from there. and i think the president is just kind of going to be there and to say i'm with you, the american public is with you, they can get these things done and have

momentum on the side. >> how tough will it be when you have to leave that security and head to the house floor? >> i think it's very tough right now. you know, things are starting to fracture on both sides. both parties are starting to have fracturing. this may be the first time i've heard the president sit down with the democrats and try to get everybody together. clearly they feel like they have problems. or else they wouldn't be doing this. still try to be running from the white house and let congress deal with what they have. he's got quite aggressive agenda he wants to pass and he needs to get everybody on his team. just like if this flip with republicans. except the fact he's never done it before. >> what then happens after this? we heard it late out in the speech the inauguration speech. what realistically needs to happen for movement on some of these issues he's laid out for us when he does face the

republican opposition? >> well, i think he's got to -- going back to what you said, they have to get their act together on the democratic side. they need to have an agenda in the senate. republicans only control one of three branches of congress. so they've got to get their act together before you can address the republicans. and doing what they need to do aggressively, they've got to start there first. and so we'll have to see, i think the republicans are going to wait and see what comes out of it. there has been some bipartisan discussion. we don't know where there's going to come. we're seeing some work that way. the president might get help there depending how it's structured. we'll just kind of see what happens. >> this is really looming now the sequestration issue. the president wants congress to pass a short-term packet of spending cuts. basically the same thing we've all been through. kicking that can down the road a little bit.

how is this being received and what does the president need to do to have some action on the sequestration so these cuts don't go into affect? >> i think it's more than the president. i think it's a business at large that needs to pressure mostly congressional republicans to do something on this. the idea of a sequester. we're going to do this and kick the can down the road but congress was going to do something. seems like they are going to need more time. the problem with the sequester sounds great. but you can't make cuts if you want the economy to grow. business understands that and the president understands that. the closer we get and starts watching the stock market tick down, congressional republicans are going to understand that we're going to get something done. >> what's going to happen, jim? >> i think it's going to happen. politicians aren't going to make the tough stands. the president

talks about we can't make any more cuts. there are no cuts. he hasn't offered any sort of cuts. we're here today because we're spending way too much money. when we address spending, i think you are going to see a lot of movement. until then, i think you are seeing democrats on the other side talk about the fact maybe we should have sequestration. maybe we should have a bunch of cuts and back off of it. i think the voters what you asked about before is the public's tired of it. this is kicking the can down the road. if everybody ng today in two more months we'll kick it down the road again and again. i think right now there's no stomach for it. >> i think one of the things though is you can't do the let's see what happens, what's the worst that can happen? we tried to with the debt ceiling when we almost came to the brink of defaulting. i don't think you can go down that road. and some of these cuts

we're not just talking about the fact quote unquote in government. these are cuts to education and innovation and things we're actually going to need. and might sound like a good idea, let's just do it. we deserve it cause it took us so long to get to this point. >> well, you would if the federal government had a role in some of these things. let's talk about education. education is funded on a local level. you are not going to hurt education. energy is produced by mostly by the private sector. only time isn't is when the federal government gives places like solyndra. i don't know you hurt anything by hurting education or by energy. i frankly think what you are going to see right now is a lot of republican wills and even democrats say let's stop all this craziness and sit down and come up with a plan. they had a plan two years ago. the president's bipartisan

commission came up with a deficit reduction plan. i think we're back to ground zero again. but it doesn't feel like it this time. i don't know why. i think frankly it's going to happen. >> got about five seconds. final words. >> more government in business than you like to admit. >> we will see. unfortunately it's not too far from now where we will see. we'll be right back. thank you, gentleman. ♪

♪ i'm halfway to your heart ♪ you have to let me know ♪ so i don't make my worst mistake ♪ ♪ turn around and let you go [ female announcer ] when sweet and salty come together, the taste is irresistible. made with sweet, smooth peanut butter and salted, roasted peanuts. sweet and salty nut bars by nature valley. nature at its most delicious.

the voting is over. now, today is the day your monopoly board will get a make over. hasbro will announce which game piece it will eliminate. remember we talked about this a while back. and as you can see on the graph, the shoe, the wheelbarrow and the iron are in the danger zone. whichever one got the fewest vote will be replaced. we'll find out today. >> some of them rather are old

fashion. >> the thimble. who uses that? i guess people who sew. >> recreating famous album covers. take a look. we have a sneak peak at the images. that's olympic swimmer recreating nirvana's never mind. recreating the one of the boy's album from 2008. and finally, tampa bay buccaneer's quarterback, very cool. recreating michael jackson's iconic thriller cover. that's cool. i like it. did they airbrush him in or is that a different photo? >> i think that's a different photo. michael was very lean. >> tucker, who would you be?

>> the nirvana cover. >> who would you be? >> the lady on the ohio cover. i want her body. >> i want to see this. >> it's nice. >> i'm going to take a look right now. >> i don't want to think of allison that way. >> oh, okay. >> you two do your thing over there. i'm going to do the weather. >> i'm saying i just want her body. >> allison, i'm curious now. everybody's going to be looking. >> ohio players honey. and several of those albums. >> 27 in boston. 19 in detroit. 13 in chicago. seasonal temperatures today. mid 40s for afternoon highs. >> wow. >> allison. >> as long as we're fantasizing. >> future cast put in motion. >> it opens up too. >> sunshine this afternoon.

i have to give people weather you guys. later tonight and tomorrow, cloud up and this coastal storm is going to take shape. this is early friday morning. this is our next chance for any measurable presip. could be dealing with wintery mix. we're thinking it's going to transition over to rain for many of us during the day. it's going to be a close call here as temperatures are going to be in the 30s early friday morning. so that could be a potential travel trouble spot with slippery conditions around here early friday. there's your accu weather 7 day. >> thank you, tucker. >> let's go to julie. what's happening on the roads? >> a lot. i mean we've had a lot to talk about for our commuters and friends out of fredericksburg. what we know is vre is running the 300 train that was suspended service is moving once again. it will bypass the leland and brook

station stops. it will continue to make all stops north of quantico. trains 302, 304 and 306 will be making all stops. expect residual delays. we had a busted rail and derailed train. repairs are on going but trains are moving once again. expect additional delays. let's continue now with other elements. southbound i 95 in virginia. this is southbound against the flow. traffic was completely blocked off now. no one getting by south towards 286. now it looks like we do have a little bit of traffic as you merge on from 286 southbound out towards lorton. south out of springfield and head down in towards newington. traffic will slow. delays continue from the beltway. let's continue now and show you what else is happening out here. as you are traveling

in the northeast. well below speed here. 16 miles an hour down to 14 miles an hour headed in towards northeast. that's a check of your fox 5 on time traffic. >> thank you very much. it is now 7 :46. coming up on 7:47 on this wednesday morning. and one of the most famous dance companies is back in dc. >> reporter: good morning to you. you are right. performances that are more inspirational than the alvin ailey dance theater. they are here through sunday. we are live as well. we're going to talk with one of their most tenured dancers and tell you firsthand why you need to get your tickets now. all live next. stay with us.

♪ [ male announcer ] we touch a lot of things throughout the day. so it's nice that clorox disinfecting products help kill the germs that can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours.

♪ feels sweet when i can touch you ♪ on surfaces for up to 48 hours. ♪ i -- i got it, i got it made ♪ i got it made, i got it made ♪ i got it made ♪ fresh at subway ♪ breakfast made the way i say [ male announcer ] at subway, you got breakfast made. like an under 200 calorie steak egg white & cheese. subway. eat fresh.

did you know? alvin ailey's revelations has been seen by more people around the world than any other dance.

>> i too have seen it. >> this week the kennedy center plays host to the heritage. >> holly morris joins us live with details. good morning, holly. >> reporter: good morning. i too have seen it. the alvin ailey american dance theater really needs no introduction. they've been an amazing audience for 55 years. and they even performed at the open of the kennedy center in 1971. and while every dancer is truly amazing. we caught up with one whose star shines particularly bright. >> welcome to rehearsal studio four. one of the rehearsal studios where performers stay at the top of the game and this morning we are getting the privilege of sharing dance space with the one and only renee robinson. >> the one and only? >> no pressure. >> you've been at the top of your game for 30 plus years.

>> well, you know, i've been in one of the top companies for 30 years but that long journey. it's a progression. you come in as a new dance letter and you have a lot to learn. you get your experiences from being on the road year after year and you grow into leading roles. so that is a progression at the top of your game. but being in one of the top modern companies in the world, i accept it. >> she owns it as she should. longest tenured performer. >> t female. dudley williams was the longest member. >> and how long was that? >> more than 30 years. >> also you were the last dancer actually selected by alvin ailey himself. >> yes, each year when you wanted to become to alvin ailey, you do go to new york city and participate in the audition and mr. ailey was the director at the time i went in with my

shaking knees and hopeful dreams of being accepted into the company. >> accepted with open arms you were and as we are in this month of february celebrating black history month, can you quickly just talk to me about the impacts that not only alvin ailey but his dance company has had in helping black dancers be on the global stage. >> it's more than just helping to bring the african american experience to the concert stage, you are absolutely right. but making sure that unique experience here in america are accessible to everyone. that everyone gets to have a chance and look at and experience those unique stories. his impact has been important globally and impact has been a joy full celebration of humanity from all peoples of all walks of life.

so that is what makes it so, so special. it goes beyond our stories and reaches out and embraces everyone. >> i just love the passion that exudes from you. i can spend a year and feel it. we don't have a lot of time but you are going to show me something from revelation. >> yes. often we do children's performances and see the company. it's a one hour performance. teach them something they can do in their seats and once revelation begins they can join in. it's a clapping section from rock my soul. i'm going to give you the rhythm first. that's when you are going to clap. that's the clapping. and just rock with me. so this is what the kids are doing.

they are rocking and claps. add the arms. i think we're ready for the music. >> okay. let's do it. can you turn it up a little bit more? i like the music loud. 5, 6, 7 and . oh, yeah, yeah. that's it, holly. excellent, excellent. for those of you who are coming to see us, when you hear revelations feel free to embrace it and get the audience into the performance. >> i'm going to feel free to

hand your dance space back over to you. >> big thank you to renee forgiving us her time. she's a dc native. i asked her what she likes to do. she visits family and friends and likes to drive the monuments. she never gets tired of the beauty of this city. she thinks it's one of the most elegant cities there is. several performances here throughout the week. the special one is a fair well performance for renee at 7:30. there's another dancer who trained in columbia maryland. we're going to talk with her in our 8:00 hour. >> very good. we wish her well well. >> still ahead, the next generation freebies. we're going to check in with steve novielo for a look at the

promotional premiums. >> believe it or not, time to think about your taxes and we've got a look at ways to file that will make sure you save every penny you deserve. it is 7:56. fox 5 morning news continues next.  a turkey-cheddar-bacon in the afternoon, or a tuna salad when the job is done, sandwich on your terms with any of dunkin's freshly made bakery sandwiches for just $2.99. america runs on dunkin'. we gotta sell the car. where would we even start? get the car. hi howard.

get in. hi, good to see you. start with an actual written offer when selling your car, no strings attached. carmax. start here. but, but makes coffee so wrong. i think he puts like maybe two tablespoons in the whole pot, so it just tastes like water. and i keep trying to tell him, dad, you have to put more coffee in here, but it doesn't work. so with blonde, i think he gets the flavor that he likes, so he feels more comfortable putting the appropriate amount of coffee in the thing. he does, jerry likes it light. ♪ ♪

ya. alright, another one just like that. right in the old bucket. good toss! see that's much better! that was good. you had your shoulder pointed, you kept your eyes on your target. let's do it again -- watch me. just like that one... [ male announcer ] the durability of the volkswagen passat. pass down something he will be grateful for. good arm. that's the power of german engineering. ♪ back to you. nope, no. sorry, love to but can't. i'm sorry, she's very busy. enjoy the rich taste of dunkin' mocha lattes and coffees. now in dark chocolate. indulge in one today. america runs on dunkin'.

this is fox 5 morning news. >> a plea from the president. he calls on congress for short-term budget fix. this as hundreds of thousands of jobs hang in the balance. the latest on the race against the clock. >> it could be decision day for boy scout troops across the nation. laeters are expected to vote on gay membership. and tax talk. it's what you need to know before filing this year. with a one week delay and changes to programs that get you that refund fast. share money saving tips. good morning i'm tony perkins. >> and i'm allison seymour. we have two school delays to pass along. garret county, maryland on a two hour delay. and the mountain ridge district.

>> tucker barnes joins us now. do we know why those delays? >> they had snow yesterday afternoon. little slippery to start the day. nothing here locally. we're looking at sunshine today. kind of partly sunny and mid 40s. >> a typical really early february day. >> very close to average. we've been cold to start the months. let's do temperatures. start with those. and reagan national is? >> 32. 34. >> 37. we've jumped. dallas was 30 just a couple hours ago. 36 degrees. looking at our radar last in a series of clippers rolling through. still bringing us cloud cover to parts of the area. the cloud cover road in here pretty quick. we should be in for more sunshine than yesterday. officially partly sunny with high temperatures in the mid 40s and no travel problems.

your average commute should be nice and dry. 44 our average daytime high for february the 6th is 45. very close to where we should be for this time of year. >> very good. thank you, sir. >> let's check in with julie wright for a look at your on time traffic. >> on time traffic brought to you by toyota. >> i love how allison's voice changes when she does that. southbound i 95. there has been a change here in virginia. the accident activity just before the exit for 286, now allowing traffic to get by using the right shoulder and the right lane. big tie ups leaving springfield as those delays build. northbound on i 95 lanes are open. traffic still congested in stafford. traffic slows again leaving woodbridge up into newington. and 395 headed north up towards the 14th street bridge. no accidents to report eastbound on 66.

a ride into that will bright sunshine. find yourself on the brakes headed towards 123. heavy volume inbound on the toll road. north of town, delays leaving 95 over towards georgia avenue. the inner loop of the beltway. definitely below speed here headed across the bridge back into virginia. don't forget vre, we've had problems there this morning with a cracked rail and a disabled train outside of the brooks station. vre trains are running with extensive delays. train 300 will start making stops north of quantico. 302, 304 and 306 making stops all morning long. 300 will not stop at leland and bypass the brooks station until further notice. that's a check of your fox 5 on time traffic. >> powerful earthquake tops our stories this wednesday morning. two tsunamis kill several people

in the solomon islands. 8.0 quake damaged 80 homes. there have been more than a dozen strong aftershocks in the last few hours. warnings were issued but they have all been canceled this morning. >> back home in the district, the dc police officer is recovering and a suspect is in serious condition after a late night call goes dangerously wrong. officers responded to a domestic violence call around 11:00 last night. the suspect attacked the officer with a knife striking him in the back. the officer is doing okay. he was treated and released. the suspect was shot in the head by another officer. he remains in the hospital in serious condition. he faces burglary and assault charges. >> our big story this hour, a budget battle on capitol hill as the president and congress work

to strike a deal to avoid billions of dollars in federal spending cuts due to take affect next month. >> melanie alnwick is live on capitol hill. no deal could create some major concerns here in our area; correct? >> reporter: absolutely. this is something, tony that the business leaders have been sounding the alarm on for a long time. these budget cuts were designed to be a hammer that would force law makers to come to some sort of an agreement on serious deficit reduction. but, you know, they weren't able to do that. we had the deficit reduction committee. that failed. we had the super committee, that failed. the cuts were supposed to kick in january 1st. got kicked down the road for 60 days and that's what brings us to another impasse now. here's a look at what the impacts would be here if the law makers fail to find a different way to reduce the deficit. those cuts were shrink spending by 7.9%.

domestic spending by 5.3%. and medicare would take a 2% reduction. and for a region so tight in the federal government that could hurt the local economy. a study done estimated 448,000 jobs in dc, maryland and virginia could be affected by those budget cuts. that brings us back to the same old impasse. democrats prefer to raise revenues to reduce the deficit by closing tax loopholes. republicans say they want to stick with those plans because they say they've already agreed to tax hikes. they agreed to that at the end of the year. why another short-term deal? the president seems to believe that he can buy a little bit of time for congress to come to some sort of a broad balanced agreement on how to use a scalpel on these spending cuts instead of an ax. they are concerned. but many republicans say they are tired of going through this over and over and think now is the time to just go

ahead and go with the planned spending cuts thinking that is the only way they are going to get serious deficit reduction here on capitol hill. >> thank you, melanie. >> we shall see. a new secret drone base this morning. the cia has been conducting drone strikes against al-qaida terrorists from a remote base. one of the strikes killed, the issue of u.s. drone strikes is expected to come up at tomorrow's hearing for president obama's choice to head the cia, john brenan's confirmation hearings outlining the president's justification for killing americans without trial. >> the polarizing debate over whether boy scouts of america could allow gay members could end today with a vote on a new policy. the organization's national executive board is meeting in irving texas and expected to rule later today. pits leaders of religious groups

that sponsor 1 million boy scouts against activists who want the organization to repeal the policy. >> scouting is about teaching a substantial amount of life lessons. sexuality is not one of them. never has been. >> i don't want one parent to tell their sons they can't be a part of scouts because they are not good enough. >> at last check the boy scouts of america facebook page had 27,000 comments on the issue. >> today a dc judge will hear arguments on the news media on whether to unseal documents related to the levy case. serving a 6 year prison sentence. in the last two months, the presiding judge held two meetings with the prosecution and the defense over an issue that's in quotes there with the trial witness. but sealed most of it for safety reasons. the judge is expected to make some sort of ruling in

court tomorrow. be brought in from an alabama prison to attend the hearing. >> a fox follow up. dc mayor proclaimed the city a success during third annual state of the district address. during last night's speech the mayor rolled off a number of successes that includes a 3% drop in unemployment. the creation of 28,000 private sector jobs in the last two years. unprecedented development and a drop in crime. mayor gray hopes to add thousands of new affordable housing units and create new opportunities for start up businesses and tech companies. >> and in virginia, a push by governor mcdonald to over haul the transportation funding. the $3.1 billion proposal was approved yesterday by the house. at the center of the bill getting rid of the 17 cent gas tax and replacing it with an

increase sales tax. amend or kill the house version of the bill. in virginia is following maryland and dc's lead by banning texting while driving. senate and house law makers have approved bills that would make it a primary offense. you can be ticketed for texting and driving without having to be pulled over for something else. first offense would cost $250. a second offense, $500. >> ten minutes after 8:00 now on this wednesday morning. still ahead, saving you money before you file taxes. a financial manager joins us live to make sure you are getting every last dollar you deserve from deductions to fast refund offers. >> plus, new evidence. what police in alabama uncovered in the bunker designed by a kidnapper. 8:10. we'll be right back . 

remember that touching budwieser commercial? >> i can't look at it. >> melted so many hearts at the superbowl. the star of that has a name. anheuser busch held a

contact to find name. after sifting through 60,000 tweets, the name hope came out on top. i like it. usa today named as the best in the superbowl. many would agree. surprisingly touching. >> at the end, i was done. i loved that a d. >> speaking of touching, tucker barnes is here with the my first 5 photo of the day. >> i didn't know where he was going with that. >> where were you going with that? >> talking about the baby. >> i went where i was going. >> time now for my first 5 photo of the day. >> what is going on? >> this is allison, everybody. >> love that name. >> look at that name -- i mean the face. >> this is 9 month old. trying to feed himself . >> he's so cute.

>> that's a great face. that's a classic photo. that's going to return for his prom. >> wedding, prom, retirement. everything. he's a doll. >> all right. his family reports it looks like he's getting the hang of it. but perhaps he's not enjoying the taste. >> that's so cute. >> i love it. >> isn't that sweet when everything is so brand new. wonderful. >> he's getting taste sensation isn't he. to send us your child's picture go to myfoxdc.com and click on mornings. ellison, love the picture. >> great name. >> let's do weather. chilly outside but not terribly cold. 37 at reagan national . temperatures have bounced up. 27 in boston. want to show you warmer air. not going to get in here today. into the week hend and early next week, we will sample the 50s and upper 50s around here by next monday and tuesday. 61 in dallas.

57 in new orleans and 63 in tampa. there you go. warmer air. and again, that will be on the way here later this weekend. satellite radar, cloud cover to start your day. another clipper come through last evening. didn't amount to much. sprinkle or flurry and with high pressure building in should be looking at a nice day today. the clouds will increase and see the rain down into dallas and houston, that next area of storminess will pass through our region late thursday and friday and could give us a period of a winder he -- wintery mix around here before transitioning over to rain. got to watch that storm carefully because of the direction it's coming from. could cause us issues late this week. there's your 7 day forecast. 44 today partly sunny. clouds tomorrow 40 and possible wintery mix. and 50 with sunshine. mid 50s monday and tuesday. all right. that's weather and celebrating julie wright.

>> a lot of things are happening right now. 95 has been hit with a couple accidents. three to be exact. this is the first one on the southbound side approaching 286. has traffic squeezing by. delays for this building from the springfield inter change. crash before you reach the harbor in the left lane. then traffic's on the brakes leaving route 1 headed up towards this scene on the southbound side. no accidents to report right now eastbound on 66. heavy volume as you travel out of centerville. eastbound approaching 123. lanes are open on the beltway. but the inner loop of the beltway very much a slow go again this morning. across that wilson bridge over towards route 1. for those that typically use vre. several problems this morning. a disabled train. that has cleared but also had problems

with the tracks. vre train 300 is bypassing leland and the brooks station. trains 302, 304 and 306 will continue to make stops all morning long. residual delays. metro is honoring your tickets. that's a check of your fox 5 on time traffic. >> thank you very much. for many americans living paycheck to paycheck, a late tax return could be a blow to the wallet. this year the irs couldn't begin processing returns until january 30th because of the fiscal cliff and the new tax codes and congress's failure to act in a timely fashion. so what does all of this mean to you? cal brown is here to walk us through tax refund 101 for 2013. or the tax year 2012. good to see you. >> good to see you. >> let me start with this delay issue. there were changes to the tax code or whatever. so that has delayed things from the

irs. is this a big deal? i got one of the documents i needed sent to me a couple days ago. many of us have not even had everything we needed. >> i'm going to say something shocking. the irs deserves a huge pat on the back for working so quickly. the tax return forms are ready to go as of january 30th. today is february the 6th. you can file unless you have some rather exotic forms like the depreciation form. so if you bought something for your home that goes on that form, you will have to wait. but for most americans, it's ready to go. >> okay. very good. we want to talk about specific information. it changes every year which is crazy in and of itself. let's talk a little about some of the areas where we can save money and optimize deductions. retirement savings. >> the big deal now especially with this new tax law is to maintain control of adjusted gross income.

that's the number on the bottom of page 1 of the 1040. other tax rates like the new medicare 3.8% tax on investment income or the capitol gains rate depends on what your adjusted gross income. retirement savings all of those things can help reduce adjusted gross income. it's very important. plus, if you are at the lower end of income, you can kwaul if i for something i think a lot of people don't know about is called a retirement savers credit. you actually get a tax credit on top of the deduction. >> really? >> yeah. it's very complicated. you should look into it if your income is below say $57,000. >> speaking of complicated, tax preparers. are they up to speed and up to date on all these recent changes? >> that's a great question. most tax preparers use software. and the software companies are

working very hard to get up to date. the answer depends on the software company. most of them know this is their bread and butter and the time of year they've got to make it happen. most of them are up to speed. >> job hunting cost. a lot of people are looking for work. >> as in many things in the tax code, there's a gotcha here. yes, you can deduct job hunting costs but -- there's two buts. that's to be in the same field you are employed in. the other gotcha is it's a miscellaneous itemized deduction and that is subject to 2% of adjusted gross income. your expenses have to exceed 2% of adjusted gross income. so many times, the job

hunting expenses don't exceed 2%. so you end up not deducting. >> health savings account. >> i'm glad you mentioned medical expenses. that's a 7 and a half % and most people end up not being able to deduct it. if you use a health savings account, you can deduct every penny. because you put money into the health savings account, that's tax deductible regardless of your gross income. it helps reduce adjusted gross income because it's line 23 to 34 on the bottom of page 1 are the key items that can reduce gross income. >> takes money off. >> i use one personally. i loved it because i've never been able to deduct medical expenses.. >> you can't just say here's my savings account. >> there's a list online of what is acceptable. >> you see these ads for loans

until you get your refund check. we'll loan you some money. usually you pay quite a price for that. >> they are expensive. >> i want to be sensitive how i say this. 25 years ago i went through a divorce and financially devastated. i was broke. and made decisions back then that cost me money. because of emotion. i understand it. i've been there. but these loans to get a quick refund are expensive and unless you absolutely positively have to have the money now -- if you file electronically, the refunds come quickly. especially the state. the state is within a week of filing. and i read that 80% of people are now filing electronically. >> comes very quickly. i do that. >> and if you don't have a computer, a friend or a teenager that you know might have a computer. >> but don't have them do your

taxes. >> right. >> thank you very much. always good to have you here. they've got to simplify that tax code. >> that will happen after you and i are gone. >> allison, back to you. >> there's hope for me. okay. all right. it is 8:24. just a couple ticks away. knee deep in debt. still ahead, the cost cutting plan the post office is expected to announce today. find out all about the return to the district. we are back right after this. 

 we gotta sell the car. where would we even start? get the car. hi howard. get in. hi, good to see you. start with an actual written offer when selling your car, no strings attached. carmax. start here.

welcome back. 8:27. making headlines this morning . a 10 year old boy was arrested for bringing a toy gun to a virginia school. the student is a 5th grader at douglas mcarthur elementary school. police say he did not say it was a fake. the other student told his parents who reported the incident to police. when the 10 year old arrived at school, school officials found his gun in his bag. the child was arrested and charged with

brandishing a weapon. and since been suspended. >> testifying today on gun control. martin is back in comprehensive gun laws including a ban on assault weapons and stricter licensing requirements. the measure includes improvements to maryland's mental health services as a way to prevent violence. 8:28 now. and still ahead, the crowned champions return. coming up in sports breakfast. >> who smokes most in america? find out the specific demographic lights up the most. we'll be back. some folks didn't think that our coffee was their flavor,,

it wasn't their cup. if you don't like that dark roast, we've created a coffee for you. blonde is a beautiful, light roasted coffee. kind of mellow, sweet, a little citrusy. for me, personally, i love connecting with people, so blonde roast just gives me a whole nother reason to connect with more customers. ♪

top stories this morning, the fbi is combing over the property of an alabama man who held a now 6 year old boy hostage for 7 days. so far they

found two explosive devices. and jimmy lee dykes was killed by swat. >> a federal investigation into that deadly tour bus crash in california has started. 7 people were sunday when the bus careened out of control as it descended on a mountain road in yucaipa. faulty brakes might have played a role. >> britain is a step closer to legalizing gay marriage. in a landmark vote, the house of comments voted overwhelmingly in favor of proposals. still needs to pass in the house of lords before it can become law. it would legalize same sex marriage in england and wail s wales.

>> the post office is expected, not in england but our post office here. is expected to announce it will cut saturday mail delivery. we've been saying they should for a long time. >> i go to the mail box everyday. i get it. >> according to fox news sources, the postal service will still deliver packages. the move is one of the biggest yet taken and hopes it will save $2 billion a year. the changes will likely take affect in august. >> i'm all about saving money. throughout the month we are taking the time to share moments in black history. we have been featuring them as the daily cover photo on our facebook fan page. when you go there today, give you a little more about what you are seeing. today we're showing you a picture of the ship. this ship was called the elizabeth and on this day back in 1820 the elizabeth carried the first organized

immigration of freed slaves from new york back to africa. the ship took 86 people to sierra lion. it was also partly funded by congress which in 1819 put aside $100,000 to help displaced africans return to home lands after the slave trade was outlawed. >> that's an actual photo. >> drawing probably. >> but when you go on our facebook page, you can see it. might be a photo. >> looks like a photo but couldn't have been in 1820. >> must have been the ship later. >> the elizabeth. >> incredible boat. >> it is incredible. >> we're going to do weather and we have temperatures right now in the mid 30s. later this afternoon mid 40s for daytime highs. going to warm it up a little bit and sunshine the last couple days. >> i like it. >> going to be a fine day.

nice and quiet. overnight upper 20s, low 30s and right now. >> steve novielo had technical hours. he won't be with us. we showed the consumer alert. >> oh, that's what came up. >> apparently he's not the only one. 31 in quantico. >> oh, boy. >> frederick and gaithersburg as well. temperatures bouncing off overnight lows. should be a decent day for us. not terribly warm but highs in the mid 40s. should be dry later this afternoon. there's your satellite radar. last of our clippers moving through. and then now we want to focus to our south and west. this is our next storm. push to the south and up the coast later tomorrow night and early friday. when it's the month of february and you get a storm parked right here, you have the risk of

winter weather. we do late thursday and early friday. it looks like enough warm air is going to get in here on friday we should transition to rain. could be a period that's touch and go here late thursday and early friday. here's your future cast. still a lot of question marks. here come your clouds tomorrow. and there you go, we're starting to set up that familiar wintery mix. the worst of it will be to the north of west. and many of us will get rain. fine tune this forecast. look what happens at noon. so definitely deep in mind early friday morning could be a trouble spot. there's your accu weather 7 day. 44. tomorrow clouds, 40. could be trouble around here early friday and we do warm it up. sunday, sunshine mid 50s monday/tuesday. that's a look at weather. back to tony and allison at the desk. >> thank you, sir.

it was another rough night on the ice for the caps.. >> dave is here with a look back at the game which can be characterized as disappointing. >> here's the problem. if it were normal season, they'll skate through this. it's a short season. not good. >> only 48 of them this year. and we've already played 10. and we caps only have 5 points through 10 games. >> that's not good. >> and the other problem is not to get too technical. they are going to play mostly teams in the eastern conference. so you don't get the help from the west coast teams come in here and knock off eastern conference. so when the caps are losing, the other teams are getting points that the caps are not getting. 5 points, the lowest point total in all of hockey. when you have stuff like this, communication breakdown, that leads to easy goals that you just can't give up. too hard for the caps to

get them. they got one here. first of the year . i was rocking the red. the boys are back. they are going to get rid. give me help. third tally of the year . this is the way it would end. caps 2-7 and 1. they have not won yet on the road. and again, only two wins at home. it was so hard to beat the caps last year. a lot of toronto sweaters. >> i don't know a lot about hockey. but alex has a new role? >> a new role and new position. >> i think at this point they are trying to push forward with the new system. i do think it will work. it does seem like they are in no man's land. very

defensive style we meaned about during the regular season but worked in the playoffs. and now adam is trying to be more offensive yet keep the defensive principles. figure out which way they are going to go. forward and be more offensive. we haven't seen it yet. >> all right. >> offensive in a good way. >> out of the ravens yesterday tucker was up there sporting his purple. it was great to see. we kid about d c and baltimore. and when you get 80,000 people to show up anywhere, it's an event. a lot of happiness. they took it to the streets early and made their way over to m and t bank stadium. they had to turn people away. there's no game. just people in there to see ray lewis and the boys with the trophy. and ray did his signature dance. hit it one more time. allison has a good theory we'll see that.

congratulations to our friends up there. did want to bring this to you in the world of skiing. tough video to see. all you have to do is catch the ski and that's what happens. back to being a kid. the thrill of victory and the defeat. and showed that skier. that's what it is right there. had to be chaptered out of there. she broke a bone in her right leg and tore ligaments. she is done for the season and not competing any more. >> wish her luck. >> thank you very much. appreciate it. coming up. a new tool for new parents. how hospitals are helping connect families with premature babies around the clock. >> plus, reducing your risk for rheumatoid arthritis.

time right now 8:40 and we'll be right back. right ba [ woman ] my boyfriend and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thankyou card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? and with all the points i've been earning, i was able to get us a flight to our favorite climbing spot, even on a holiday weekend. ♪ things are definitely... looking up. [ male announcer ] with no blackout dates, you can use your citi thankyou points to travel whenever you want.

visit citi.com/thankyoucards to apply. fiber one. uh, forgot jack's cereal. [ jack ] what's for breakfast? um... try the number one! yeah, this is pretty good. [ male announcer ] over a third of a day's fiber. fiber one. ♪ shimmy, shimmy chocolate. ♪ shimmy, shimmy chocolate. ♪ we, we chocolate cross over. ♪ yeah, we chocolate cross over. ♪ [ male announcer ] introducing fiber one 80 calorie chocolate cereal. ♪ chocolate.

in our health watch this morning. babies born prematurely can be stuck in the hospital for months at a time. and for working parents that

means hours of worrying away from their baby. dozens of hospitals across the nation are now using baby cam. it's real time high def video that parents can watch on a laptop, a cell phone or even in the family room. parents say the camera above their premies help when they can't be by their bedside. >> i can do my daily things without worrying about her. >> i say don't forget janya. >> that's good. could there be a link between smoking and mental illness? a new study by the centers of disease control says 36% of adults have also been diagnosed

with a mental illness. the cdc also says smokers with a mental illness tend to smoke more cigarettes in a month and less likely to quit than other smokers. sun exposure may lower your risk of rheumatoid arthritis. researchers found that women regularly exposed to sunlight reduce their risk of developing the condition by a 5th. using sun creams or covering up could rest enthe protective effects. rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation in joints and the main symptoms are joint pain and swelling. >> it is 8:45 right now. it's a wednesday morning and still ahead, holly is hitting the stage at the alvin ailey american dance theater. >> reporter: good morning. i'm not actually at the alvin ailey dance theater. i am live at the

den decenter this -- kennedy center this morning. if you've ever wondered what it's like to be a professional dancer, you are going to find out. you can see alicia is already warming up for us at the bar this morning. and she's one of our own. she trained in maryland. we're going to talk to her about what it takes to be a part of this dance company and why you need to see her yourself. all live next on fox 5 morning news. stay with us.  a turkey-cheddar-bacon in the afternoon, or a tuna salad when the job is done, sandwich on your terms with any of dunkin's freshly made bakery sandwiches for just $2.99. america runs on dunkin'.

ya. alright, another one just like that. right in the old bucket. good toss! see that's much better! that was good. you had your shoulder pointed, you kept your eyes on your target. let's do it again -- watch me. just like that one... [ male announcer ] the durability of the volkswagen passat. pass down something he will be grateful for. good arm. that's the power of german engineering. ♪ back to you. you can do more business per second. and with more reliable internet, that's more per second. and with a dedicated line, it's more per second. and with an additional line, it's more... table for 15? [ male announcer ] ...per second. but most importantly, it's more... mmm! [ male announcer ] ...per second. get verizon high-speed internet and phone for just $84.99 a month when you sign up online with a two-year price guarantee. plus a $200 verizon visa pre-paid card and an additional line included. verizon.

i never knew he liked me. we'd have to keep it quiet. or we could just tell h.r. happy valentine's day. it would never work. try the new brownie batter donut. get any six donuts for $3.99. america runs on dunkin'. we want to say hello to tina may brown. tina is our facebook fan of the day. and tina is a big fan of the show and loves ask tony and tucker. so do we. thanks for watching tina and being a fan. we do appreciate you. for your chance to be tomorrow's facebook fan of the day, like our facebook page and post a comment below tina's really pretty smile picture. >> thank you, tina. the alvin ailey american dance theater is back in town. and they are bringing their top talent to the stage to delight audiences once again. >> holly joins us live from the kennedy center.

>> reporter: they don't have anything but top talent when it comes to the alvin ailey american advance theater. i'm just amazed at what they do. how do they do that? look at this souvenir program here. look at this beautiful dancer on there. one, you are probably going ouch. that's what i said. look at that style and grace. that is impossible. except this woman is the one who made it possible. because this her right here. unbelievable photo. you had to be happy with this. >> i was very happy. i'm not always pleased with pictures of me but i love this one. >> i can't imagine a bad picture of you. talk to me a little about your training and becoming a member of this troop. >> sure. i'm originally from columbia, maryland which is close to the kennedy center. i used to come here and do programs related to dance and i

saw so many amazing dance companies including alvin ailey here as a young person. >> did you ever think one day that's going to be me? >> i prayed and i hoped and i prayed and i hoped. >> it worked. there was a lot of hard work in there as well. we have some video of you dancing. how would you describe yourself as a dancer? >> i think that i'm a dancer who likes to invoke a lot of emotion. and i am very tall so i know that i stand out on stage. and i'm very leggy. i like to throw my legs up in the air. >> i already made the comment like my arm is the size of her leg. amazing. when you're training with alviny and i believe we have video of the studio up in new york and everything. what does it really take? >> well, it does take a lot of hard work and dedication. we tend to work 8 to 9 hours a day.

it's a physical day. one of the great things about our company is it's a repertoire company. we learn from all over the world. you really have to be on it, you know. your brain has to be working at all times to learn the choreography. execute it and be able to make it up to par for a performance. >> i like the fact you brought up it's as mental as it is physical. i'm going to brag on her. this is also a smart girl. graduated magnum cum la de. as you are spending your life as a professional dancer and finding it important to focus on your education. >> yes, i think it is important for a dancer to have other interests outside of dancing. mr. ailey always wanted people to develop themselves outside of the stage. everything you learn you can bring back to the

studio. and also for me, it gives me a rest from dancing. cause i can get really obsessive about what i'm doing and the steps. and it's nice to open a book and read something or learn something different. >> you know, you were with the company and you left and you just returned in 2011 and i know you've danced with a lot of different companies and everything. what is it about alvin ailey that makes it just so unique and like for you was like i need to get back to that? >> the company, there's something very special about the company. last night we had opening night here. and the response from the audience is so tangible. wherever we perform we get that response. and i think that's part of the reason why i'm addicted to being here. is because you feel something from the audience and you know you are touching people out there. and i feel that in a way, this is my calling to do what i do.

to be a dancer. and i think there's a very important purpose there. and ailey allows me to do that. to share myself. >> is there a pressure that comes along with that name? that's a big name. >> oh, yes. it definitely is a big name but i have to put that in the back of my mind and just remember that i'm only human. i do make mistakes on stage. it happens. but i hope that people will see beyond that and will be able to leave the theater feeling good about themselves. >> she splits time between new york and here in columbia, the greater washington here. and when you are traveling the world. when you are home in columbia, what do you make sure you don't miss from the dc area? >> i love to just gist the special places here in dc. and really i have a lot of friends and family in the dc area.

when i'm home, it's just to visit people and say hello. >> real quickly before i go, the last thing, when you hoped and you prayed that you were going to perform at the kennedy center, was it everything you hoped and prayed for? >> oh, yes. this morning i came in and saw my picture in the front and i just wanted to cry. because i remember as a kid just looking at photos of my idols and thinking how did they do it? how did they get there? >> she can be one of your idols. myfoxdc.com is our web site. we have a link. more with the artistic director in our 9:00 hour. back to you. >> she is wonderful. >> home town girl done great. thanks for bringing both of those stories this morning. still ahead at 9:00, the boy scouts of america could lift or leave a ban on gay members. join us live to talk about the

controversial decision. >> plus, the results are in. find out about the new piece that's just been added to the monopoly board. we'll tell you which one it's replacing. we'll be right back.   we gotta sell the e car. where would we even start? get the car. hi howard. get in. hi, good to see you. start with an actual written offer when selling your car, no strings attached. carmax. start here.

this is fox 5 morning news. >> good wednesday morning. i'm allison seymour. >> and i'm tony perkins. right now at 9:00 . scaling back. falling under hard times , the united states postal service makes a major announcement in order to save money. how it may affect you straight up ahead. >> historic vote today as the boy scouts of america might lift a ban on gay members. openly gay and here to share his message to the association that he loves. he'll join us at 9:15. >> viral on the web. a young boy with